Brooks Building (UAF)
Alfred Brooks Building
Fairbanks Campus
Description: 1736 Tanana Loop
The Brooks Memorial Mines Building was dedicated July 22, 1952, in honor of Albert Hulse Brooks. The building was a state-of-the-art mining research facility equipped with 10 classrooms and 10 science laboratories. It was dedicated on the 50th anniversary of Felix Pedro's discovery of gold in the Fairbanks area. It housed the School of Mines for many years and was closely linked to the mining industry. Much of the original structure was funded through mining donations.
By 1995, the Brooks Building needed many repairs and renovations. However, the cost to bring the building up to current codes and carry out necessary repairs was in the millions of dollars. Updates were deferred in favor of more pressing needs on campus. The School of Mineral Engineering relocated to the Duckering Building, immediately to the south, leaving Brooks empty.
After a $5.6 million renovation, the Brooks Building reopened in fall 2002 to house academic programs and services for rural and Alaska Native students. The renovation featured modern classrooms, a library for the Alaska Native Language Center collection, offices and support services. A gathering room, designed in the shape of an umiak, reflects the Alaska Native cultures served by the university.
The rededication in fall 2002 signified the Brooks Building becoming an educational center serving the needs of rural and Alaska Native students by housing the Alaska Native Language Center, Alaska Native Studies, Alaska Native and Rural Development, College of Rural and Community Development, Rural Alaska Honors Institute and Rural Student Services.
Sources
“Dedication Program, Brooks Memorial Mines Building,” Special Events, Groundbreakings, Dedications, Banquets, U of A Days, etc. 1915-65, (A12.D5), UAF Alaska and Polar Regions Archives; “The Cornerstone on College Hill,” by Terrence Cole; Deborah Brownfield, Director Space Planning and Management, UAF; Facilities Services webpage, 2002-03 Construction overview; University Relations files; Meeting New Challenges, 2002 University Relations brochure
Notable People: Alfred Brooks